Affective temperament and emotional processing difficulties in women with PCOS and their potential impact on PCOS clinical presentation.

OBJECTIVES

To assess alexithymia and affective temperament in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and compare these patients to a group of patients undergoing endocrinological evaluation without a diagnosis of PCOS (non-PCOS). Additionally, the study explored the relationship between affective temperament, alexithymia, body mass index (BMI), and the severity of hirsutism in the PCOS group.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

A total of 46 patients with PCOS and 28 non-PCOS patients were recruited for the study. All participants underwent endocrinological and gynecological diagnostics. Alexithymia was assessed using the TAS-20 questionnaire, while affective temperament was evaluated with the TEMPS-A questionnaire.

RESULTS

Both PCOS and non-PCOS patients were found to fall within the "intermediate alexithymic" range. Patients with PCOS exhibited more pronounced cyclothymic temperament (p=0,019), and the difference in irritable temperament was close to statistical significance (p=0,072). In a stepwise linear regression analysis, total alexithymia emerged as a statistically significant positive predictor of BMI in PCOS group (β=0.368, p=0.012).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with PCOS exhibit higher cyclothymic temperament compared to the non-PCOS group. Both groups show "intermediate alexithymia", which could impact treatment adherence and mental health, highlighting the importance of psychological interventions for improving outcomes and quality of life.